Benefits of One-to-One Yoga by Nic WhitemanHave you ever been in a Yoga class and thought "is the teacher referring to me?", or have you never been to Yoga and always thought "I am not flexible enough, not strong enough" or simply shy away from large groups? Yoga is for every body, however not every class is designed for every BODY. Yoga has a wonderful way of getting us into our bodies and understanding how it is feeling and moving on any given day, which can be so different from one day to the next depending on our emotions, energy levels and day-to-day activities. Being present in our body has an effect on our mind, a presence, slowing it down from its perhaps usually hectic state. The benefits of Yoga are limitless, some of the stand outs are:

Increased oxygen levels brings an overall sense of wellbeing, and can become addictive in a good way

Resistance and body weight movement increases calcium levels in bones, and slows down the ageing process and some conditions, including MS, arthritis, osteoporosis, thyroid conditions

Boosts confidence levels, by improving strength, posture, peace of mind, but also achievements in your practice. It's not just on the mat, what we do on the mat we begin to take out into our lives. Yoga becomes a way of being, rather than a pose (asana)

Improved organ function, by lengthening, twisting, breathing, calming the nervous system and working with correct posture we give our organs a chance to heal and 'do their thing'

Deepen your connection with Self, or Spirit, your purpose

Yoga can look easy, some will make it look that way, this doesn't mean it is harmless. Going into a big yoga class with students at different levels can lead you to perform poses without proper alignment, especially it if is new to you, or you have postural habits or injuries you are compensating for. If it’s difficult to see the instructor you might be inclined to simply follow what others are doing. And if the person next to you is doing the pose incorrectly, you might also have improper form and leave yourself open to injury, or be encouraged to exceed your own limits in that pose. A classic example is the repetitive (and perhaps premature) movement into a Chaturanga Dandasana and winging your elbows or dropping the chest too low, has been known to cause countless tears in shoulders. In a group class, it can be challenging to approach the instructor with your health history. And even if you do, he or she might not be able to help you modify poses throughout the entire class. However, it is helpful for an instructor to know if you’re getting over surgery, an injury, or an illness.

There is no such thing as being terrible at yoga. The discipline of yoga is a journey that is between you and yourself. There is no competition in yoga. A private instructor will be encouraging and help you understand the mechanics of the poses. There are numerous breathing techniques that can have a profound effect on the mind, nervous system and core and be relevant to you personally. Even in a few lessons you will see yourself improving and you’ll have greater confidence to either attend a group class, or take your practice home. If you are interested in starting a Yoga practice, wanting a personalised home practice, wanting to deepen and develop your existing practice, looking to modify poses to assist you in accommodating and/or rehabilitating injuries - then a private is ideal. There are number of considerations in choosing the right Private Instructor for you:

Decide what is the reason you want to practice Yoga?

Research the teachers - read their bios, check their level of qualifications how many hours of study have they trained (a level 1 training is 200hr minimum, a full teacher training is 500hr minimum) Are they Yoga Australia registered (or other Yoga organisation, it means they are required to be trained by a credible school and have insurance)? Consider what their focus is, what/who do they like to work with? Check out their pictures - a picture tells a thousand words - who do you connect with?

Consider pricing, and if the teacher has private health fund rebates, contact your health fund first and ask what the requirements are so you can ask the teacher if they have a provider number

Be open and honest with your teacher with exactly what you are wanting to achieve, and give them all your health history and concerns so they know what to work with and can provide a safe and tailored practice perfect for you

In an ideal world I would love to have time with every single person that walks through our doors at Body Awakenings, I believe a private can enhance all of the benefits possible with Yoga tenfold. I am also passionate about sharing knowledge and love supporting and mentoring aspiring new teachers advancing their skills. If you would like to know more about what is offered here at Body Awakenings visit our page One-to-One Sessions

This month of March we have a special for 4 x Private Yoga Sessions with Rach or Nic for $340 - click here for information.

Mindfulness and other Psychological Strategies for switching off our ‘Autopilot’by Fili PerdikarisBeing Present in the moment can be challenging in our busy lives which are often filled with ‘to do lists’ and activities. We sometimes go on ‘autopilot’; a process where behaviours become automatic and repetitive as we mechanically go through our days. There is an evolutionary advantage to this, being that our brains tend to ‘hardwire’ tasks that we do on a repetitive basis, by reducing the need to think and in this way create efficiency. However, there are drawbacks to relying on this ‘autopilot’ to guide us through life.

Think about how much time we spend in this state. Research shows that we occupy 46% of our time on autopilot which is almost half our life. When we are engaged in this mechanical activity, our minds become free to wonder and often gravitate to the past by ruminating, or to the future by worrying. This can lead to anxiety and certainly takes us away from the present moment which we become disengaged from.

Being on ‘automatic pilot’ can mean that we take the same old familiar psychological route we’ve used in the past, repeating thinking habits and patterns of behaviour which keep us stuck and prevent us from moving on with our lives.

Trying to get back the controls from our ‘autopilot’ makes a lot of sense, if we want to change our behaviours and ultimately the course of our lives. With awareness we can interrupt the automatic thinking patterns and become more focussed on the present moment. Just noticing thoughts by allowing them to come and go without clinging or creating meaning, helps us to become more grounded in the ‘here and now’. Its really important to try and allow ‘awareness and noticing’ to arise without judgement (and this takes practice) as this will help move us towards acceptance, and a gradual subsiding of any intense feelings. Thoughts and feelings are natural process of our minds, how we respond to them is a choice.

So while ‘autopilot’ takes us away from our lives, mindfulness has the power to bring us back into them. By practicing mindfulness techniques we can change the hard wiring of our brains in a positive way as ‘neurons that fire together wire together’ (Rick Hanson 2017). This ultimately creates new ways of thinking, feeling and behaving and enables us to spend more time truly living in the present moment.

6 Strategies for turning off the ‘Autopilot’

Breath

Move

Laugh

Journal

Medidate

Switch off technology

Psychological counselling can also help and support you in developing mindfulness and other strategies which can aid you to stay more present in the current moment and enhance your ability to for relaxation and reaching your full potential.

The Treasures of Savasanaby Rachael StorrieSavasana holds many wonderful therapeutic benefits for the mind and the body and this beautiful asana is essential to any yoga practice, if only for a few minutes however it is ideal if you stay a little longer.

Savasana is often referred to as one of the most difficult asana although physically it is not demanding and requires no effort of the body, it is the letting go that is challenging. Performed at the end and sometimes the beginning of a practice, Savasana assists you in immersing in the consciousness of the now.

Some avoid Savasana, to lie still is difficult, it is often hard to resist the urge to fidget, the drive and constant movement of the nervous system in a state of un-rest. Some fear they will fall asleep and snore so they don’t relax. It is important to pay attention to small details that may distract you and take care to make any last adjustments to make yourself absolutely comfortable, support the body so it can fully rest.

Acknowledge that thoughts will come and that is natural but letting them go is the key. Use the breath to anchor the minds attention, notice the areas of your body that move when you breathe, notice the sound of your breath and then the whole experience of the inhale and the exhale as you allow the breath to move in and out in it’s own natural rhythm.

With practice the mind becomes less busy and moves away from constant thinking, the mental chatter of to do lists and past or future concerns, the now begins to become available and the body responds by enjoying and surrendering over to the stillness. It is the space between the thoughts where the treasure is, it's here we come to know our stillness, the quiet space within is who we truly are.

In Savasana muscular and skeletal tension can leave the body as you give your full weight to the support beneath you. As you relax you move into the parasympathetic nervous system, as a result there will be a reduction in your heart rate, blood pressure, metabolic rate, adrenals and stress levels, an improvement in your digestive function and hormonal balance.

The brain waves begin to change from fast Beta waves, conscious thinking to slower Theta and Delta waves that are associated with subconscious creativity and deep relaxation. Studies show that when we relax the mind our ability to make clearer and quicker decisions improves, there can be a reduction in anxiety and some types of depression and we enhance our wellbeing overall.

The benefits are abundant and we encourage you to stay for Savasana and soak up the space that you have created for yourself, enjoy peace, calm and quiet. Think of Savasana as taking a window of opportunity to connect with you, feeling the flow of energy within you and embracing the brilliance of simply being. A chance to heal.

“By remaining motionless for some time and keeping the mind still while you are fully conscious, you learn to relax. This conscious relaxation invigorates and refreshes both body and mind. But it is much harder to keep the mind than the body still. Therefore, this apparently easy posture in one of the most difficult to master.” BKS Iyengar

Rising above Stress & Fatigueby Suzie Weber

FEELING STRESSED, OVERWORKED & DEPLETED? Every person will experience stress throughout life, it’s inevitable. A little stress is healthy; it challenges you and makes you stronger. The body’s stress response is naturally designed to help you survive stressful situations, it can deal with acute stress easily and recover. In our busy, modern lives, the sources of stress are much more frequent, and longer lasting compared to caveman days, running from a sabre-toothed tiger.Stresses are not always easy to resolve, meaning that your stress-response is constantly activated. Stress without adequate recovery can substantially affect your energy levels, mood and adrenal glands, resulting in significant fatigue. If this situation continues for long enough, feeling tired and stressed may become your ‘normal’ day to day existence. You no longer remember what it feels like to feel vibrant and energised.

CHRONIC STRESS CAN LEAD TO FATIGUE The average adult juggles a multitude of commitments and the list continues to grow, leaving little to no time for relaxation. Your brain is the first organ that senses stress. It responds by sending messages to the adrenal glands which release cortisol to help you deal with the stress. When stress becomes chronic, the brain may seek to self­ regulate itself by toning down these signals as a protective mechanism. This can result in low energy commonly seen in chronic fatigue. Stress is known to be an underlying factor behind many health conditions, with severe fatigue being one of the most debilitating.

​ADAPTING TO STRESS... HERBS MAY HELP Herbs known as ‘adaptogens’ can help to improve your ability to adapt to stress, building resilience and energy levels. ‘Adrenal restorative’ herbs also work well in conjunction with adaptogens, through helping to restore optimal adrenal function. It is important when considering the addition of herbs, to seek advice from a qualified natural health practitioner. Some herbs can interact with medications, and it’s best to know which herbs are best for your health situation.

LIFESTYLE TIPS TO COMBAT STRESS The following tips can help you deal with stress and recharge your batteries:Exercise: Regular physical activity helps to support, energy production. Exercise encourages the release of feel­ good endorphins and improves your overall health and wellbeing.Meditation / Breathing Exercises: Regular meditation practice helps calm an overactive mind and assists you in finding peace. Slow, deep breathing can significantly calm the nervous system, switching it back into the parasympathetic nervous system within minutes.Green Space: Spending time in nature allows you to relax and switch off the stress-response. The benefits green plants and natural foliage can improve mood and an increased sense of calm.Stay social: Interacting with family, friends, work colleagues and sports buddies builds quality relationships. Socialising is not only fun; it may also increase your resilience to stress.

Suzie Weber is a qualified Naturopath & Nutritionist, with a special interest in adrenal fatigue, anxiety and stress management support. If you are experience chronic stress or fatigue, please contact Suzie to speak to help restore your health and wellbeing. info@suzieweber.com | 0401152576 | www.suzieweber.com

Cultivating Compassion for Self and Othersby Fili Perdikaris

Compassion comes in many forms and is essentially the wish that others don’t suffer, from feelings of anguish or sadness to poverty and distress. When we feel compassion it’s a combination of sympathy and genuine care for the person that is suffering. We can have compassion for any individual (friend), a group of people in the world that are suffering, an organisation that is dysfunctional or a struggling family.

Compassion opens our hearts and nourishes the people we care about. Those who receive our compassion are more likely to reciprocate with their own feelings of love and care as well as being more compassionate and forgiving towards us and others. Compassion opens us up to the inter-connectedness of all beings and with this wisdom we can move forwards to more challenging situations requiring compassion.

As distinct from pity, we may find it difficult to feel compassion for those that may have hurt us. It is quite tempting to feel anger and hurt in such situations with people that we feel have ‘wronged us’. This may be a process we need to experience, in order to find our compassion for them without accepting their behaviour. Ultimately this can free us to see the other (like ourselves) as a flawed human being doing the best they can with the resources (maybe limited) they have.

It releases and softens our hearts to the possibility of suffering in ‘others’, and so in this way we can step back from our own initial space of hurt, to something more whole and healing through compassion. This does not mean we give up our individual rights or try and accept not being treated with respect, but whilst holding the situation and person with compassion and asking for respect, we are more likely to have a positive outcome.

Compassion is natural if we open our hearts to struggle, sorrow, strain, the impact of events on others. We can just allow it to flow through our bodies and notice how it feels and changes our perspective towards others and situations. Most of all, it can be helpful and challenging to hold our own inadequacies and shortcomings lightly and with compassion. Rather than beating ourselves up for not being or doing better, compassion can help us look at our shortcomings more gently and find a way to work on them gradually and skilfully.

Moments of compassion come into the flow of life naturally, a stranger may look hungry, a child may look at you with sad eyes, a friend may talk to you about a loss.

You can also bring compassionate moments to mind in order to strengthen the neural pathways in your brain associated with compassion by :

holding the feeling of compassion in your heart after you’ve visualised a compassionate moment or situation or a person that’s hurting.

bring to mind the feeling of someone who cares about you

gently use words of compassion repeatedly to yourself like a Buddhist mantra : ‘may you be well’ ‘may you be free from suffering’,’ may you go in peace’.

"Like a tree you have to find your roots and then you can bend in the wind" Angela Farmer

This month of April we have chosen an “Asana Spotlight” - the grounding and centering Tree Pose or 'Vrksasana'. We chose this posture for it's ability to make us feel more grounded and connected with the now during times of challenge and change. It is especially important with any standing balances to remember to meet yourself where you are at on your mat - every day is different. The observation of the breath is the cornerstone of any posture, allowing us to focus, to listen and then to let go of expectations and judgements, so that we can develop a healthy inner world. Having the ability to humbly acknowledge our strengths, and gracefully accept our weaknesses is a wonderful formula to live by.

Cautions:High Blood Pressure - keep hands at heart centre instead of raising them, use back to a wall to make it less effort. Low Blood Pressure - use back to a wall for support. SIJ (SacroIlliac Joint) Dysfunction - keep weight in both feet so torso weight is distributed evenly through pelvis to both feet. Neck/Shoulder strain - keep hands to heart centre, or arms out wide in 'Palm tree'. Vertigo or Chronic Fatigue - back to a wall for support.

Stand in Tadasana or Mountain pose - feet hip width apart. Distribute weight into feet evenly through ball of big toes and outer edges of heels. Exhale, root down through your feet and feel steadiness, firmness, and grounded in Tadasana.

Shift your weight onto your right foot, keep big toe pointing straight ahead. Bend your left knee and reach down with your left hand to hold the foot. Place the sole of the left foot on the inner right thigh - press foot firmly against the thigh to switch on glute. Lift up on right knee cap to activate quadricep and press against foot. Alternatively try placing heel to right ankle to stay on ball of left foot (for SIJ, balance), or foot on calf (not against knee joint).

Lengthen your tailbone toward the floor to stand tall and bring your gaze to the wall directly in front of you to help you balance.

Press your left foot into the inner right thigh and your right thigh into your foot in an effort to maintain your midline and core. Alternatively use the blade of the left foot and press against the back of the right calf - helps to activate glutes and open hip (see pic below).

Square both hips to the front of the room, keeping your left knee moving out wide.

Lift and open the chest and bring the shoulder blades down. Maintain tone from your ribs to the hips.

Take 5–10 deep breaths, finding length on each inhale to lift and lighten, and rooting down with each exhale to ground and centre. Focus on drishti and the breath - observe mind thoughts without attachment. When the mind wavers the body wavers.

Exhale and release the left leg back to Tadasana. Repeat on the other side.

Mindfulness Strategies for 'feeling wronged' or angeredby Fili PerdikarisAnger or ‘feeling wronged’ can be trickyOn the one hand, feeling annoyed, resentful, ‘fed up’ or irritated can possibly alert us to real threats, injuries or feelings that can fuel us or provide us with energy and impetus to do something about real issues or relationship conflicts in our lives. These feelings can fuel us if approached appropriately to do something about various areas of our lives. So if suppressed it can be a journey to to be able to feel appropriate anger and express it skilfully for the benefit of our relationships and at times the world in general. It can be certainly important and wise to know in our hearts what is actually happening, how important it is, what the causes are and decide which mindfulness approach can be helpful in resolving some of these feelings.

From another perspective anger or ‘feeling wronged’/angry without mindfulness-Can stress the body, over time deteriorating our health-Shrink our attention so that we may lose sight of the bigger picture-Feels detrimental after the initial first stages-Cloud our judgement which may lead to impulsive action-May create and intensify conflict in our relationships

Anger may often hurt us more than it hurts others. There is the Buddhist philosophy that ascertains; ‘Anger has a honeyed tip….and a poisoned barb’.

Mindfulness strategies for dealing with anger

Try to identify angry feelings and attempt not to suppress them but rather explore what they may be indicating about ourselves and your relationships.

Attempt to look beneath the angry feelings to the hurt and sorrow that may be underlying it

Allow for energy to be directed to slowing things down and attempting to think more clearly in order to ‘find some ground’ and look into our hearts

Be wary and attentive to how anger can work on our thinking processes and hijack them

In relationships, sometimes conflict can take root and lead to us feeling stuck or repeating patterns of conflict. It can be challenging to look at what’s beneath these surface feelings to our hurt and sadness. Used skilfully and mindfully anger can give us potency, authenticity, compassion and a truth in moral confidence to move forward in relationships and at times with wider world conflicts.

We can all use these feelings with dignity and mindfulness to come home to the courage to stand in truth and speak from the heart with passion, conviction and free of the initial flames of anger. With wisdom and mindfulness ‘feeling wronged’ or anger is a potent agency to resolve conflicts within ourselves, our relationships and the world in general.

It may be wise to make a decision to receive guidance and support in challenging anger or other feelings which may be preventing you from moving forward in your life and reaching your full potential. Psychological counselling can be an option to provide you with the tools in addressing many emotional barriers and thinking patterns in order to break automatic patterns and release us.

30 day guide into Meditationby Nicole Whitemanclick here to view pdf print out on day to day guidance of many different meditation tools and techniques.

3 Simple Changes to Improve your Health in 2017by Suzie WeberThe New Year fills us with inspiration and motivation to make positive changes towards our health. The difference between sustaining or breaking these changes, lies within setting realistic health goals. Here are my top three tips you can start today – they are practical, cost effective and may improve how you feel within days!

1. Fill Half Your Plate With Vegetables At Dinner.It’s shocking to hear that the average Australian only meets HALF their recommended quantity of vegetables per day. The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommends adults should consume 5-6 servings of vegetables daily. It sounds like a lot, but it’s not as scary as you think. 1 serve of vegetables is classified as ½ cup cooked vegetables or 1 cup raw vegetables/salad.

The health benefits of eating vegetables goes on and on, so I will remind you of the most important: healthy weight management, protects and reduces against the risk of cardiovascular disease, some types of cancer (particularly bowel cancer), Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol.

By ensuring you fill half of your plate with vegetables at dinner – you are half way to reaching your daily requirements! For more of my tips on increasing vegetable intake, click here

2. Morning Cleanse & Alkalizing DrinkStir 1 teaspoon of chia seeds and 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar to a small glass of water on waking.

This is one of my favorite tips to include in your morning routine. It’s like a ‘mini-cleanse’ for your body and fires up your digestion for the day. Apple Cider Vinegar (with the mother) is alkalizing and stimulates gastric secretions in the digestive system to prepare for it’s first meal. This is a lovely remedy to try if you suffer from bloating, gas or sluggish digestion.

Chia seeds are rich in mucilage fiber. This means when they come in contact with water, they swell and create a soothing gel-like barrier to line the intestinal tract. Chia seeds are a great prebiotic, and good source of omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, protein and fiber (to keep those bowels regular). This combination really compliments each other and helps to support a healthy microbial terrain in the digestive tract.

3. Spice Up Your Life & Reduce Inflammation

Never underestimate the power of adding herbs and spices to your meals each day. It can be easy to turn to sugar, salt & prepackaged sauces to enhance the flavor of food, but they are often full of preservatives, additives and have a high sugar and sodium content (all inflammatory foods).

Chronic inflammation causes tissue damage within the body, and increases the development of disease and illness. Think of it as ‘upgrading your food’ with antioxidant-rich, nutrient-dense herbs and spices.

If you love English breakfast tea – try adding a few slices of fresh ginger rhizome to your tea.

Add 1 teaspoon ground turmeric to scrambled eggs or Omelette

Sprinkle fresh salads or soups with 1 teaspoon celery seeds (this is a great tip for arthritis).

I would love to know how you go trying these 3 suggestions, please feel free to tag me on Instagram or Facebook with your food creations (Suzie Weber Naturopath)

If you are looking to improve your diet this year or have been struggling with a health issue, please contact Suzie on 0401152576 or emailSuzie is available for consultations on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday at Body Awakenings.www.suzieweber.com

The Christmas Core Challenge ........by Nicole Whiteman​25 days to be the most focused, strong and balanced version of YOU!From the 1st of December we encourage our Yogis and Yoginis to take on this personal challenge – there is no competition with anyone else – it’s just you and yours alone, we’ll be joining you for encouragement. It’s a great time of the year to find stillness and focus in your day, and we won’t deny, who doesn’t want some great abs and tone this summer?? The added bonus is that with a strong body comes a strong mind, we feel more courageous, assertive and more determined to achieve our goals. We stand up tall, we have confidence and feel as though we can take on anything that comes our way. Lets face it, this time of year we can all do with a bit more of that as we extend ourselves in many directions and there is not enough time in the day or days in the week to do it all. It can be the most exciting energy filled time of year, all for the love of food, social gatherings, family fun and enjoying this amazing weather. So here’s a way we think you can get the most out of your festive season and come out on top by setting yourself up with this challenge – only 6 minutes a day for 25 days. 1st December to 25th December – YOU CAN DO IT!Tally-up your daily planking on Facebook with us – it’s a 6 minute sequence of Plank pose 1min, Side Plank x 2, 30secs each side – repeat 3 times. View the Christmas Core Challenge instructions here. Register your Challenge Accepted here, and we will be posting 'core' inspirations 7am each day – all you need to do is comment with a thumbs up once you’ve 'Challenge Completed' your 6 minutes each day. It can be done first thing or last thing in the day – just allocate your 6 minutes. Then after the 25 days we would love to hear if you noticed any changes – physically, mentally and emotionally. We know you will, and so do you, so why not take it on! View benefits of Plank pose here.

In the tradition of Yoga the ‘Core’ is not only considered a physical aspect of the body, but it is also considered the spiritual centre – the essence of our being. Planking can, because of all the benefits listed above, be a way of connecting to the Self. Time out of the busy mental traffic and constant overstimulating external world. When we focus on the breath this is when we are most connected to the Self, an opportunity to focus on what is most important to us - what's at our 'core'. Connect with where both peace and power lies.

The meaning of Om ........by Rachael Storrie​You may have chanted the “om” in a class at the beginning or the end of a practice. You may have wondered what it means when you chant this sacred sound?

Om is an ancient sanskrit Mantra and is said to be the sound that represents everything within and all around you. Om is the sound of the universe, consciousness and connection to the infinite. This powerful frequency is something you may feel, being part of the moving universe and everything within, rustling leaves, waves on the shore, the sound of a shell at the beach. Bringing macrocosm into the microcosm.

The sound Om is often presented as AUM and can be pronounced in 3 parts the A (ahhh) the U (oooh) and M (mmm).

The true power of Om lies in the experience of letting the sound resonate around you and through you to the very centre of your being. The sound vibration is often described as coming up through from your base, through the lower abdomen to the solar plexus, up to the chest and all the way to the crown of your head. The sound vibrations clear and cleanse your energy system, chakras and mind as they move through the body. It is Mantra for both the Third Eye (Ajna - 6th Chakra) and Crown (Sahaswara - 7th Chakra).

You don’t have to be part of any particular faith to recite and chant the Om, as it represents 'all that is' - life, nature, universe, God - whatever you choose this to mean to you. It is as an incredible tool to bring a deep connection with your Self and your surroundings, available to everyone.

You may want to try to Om through the month of October and observe, feel the effects with the intention of feeling connected, celebrating life, feeling whole and present.

Letting go ........by team Body Awakenings' Therapists​Practicing the art of ‘letting go’ can have strong influence on our physical health and wellbeing – particularly when it comes to digestive health. Holding on to toxic emotions such as anger, resentment, frustration or sadness, can often manifest itself as the common digestive condition constipation - where the body is unable to release and let go of toxic waste through natural elimination pathways. Both stress & anxiety also tend to accompany these negative emotions, which can further impact digestion through ‘switching off’ or ‘slowing down’ important mechanisms & secretions used in the digestive process. Naturopathy offers a range of natural tools and solutions to support the release of physical and emotional waste that can build up over time as constipation, bloating or IBS-type symptoms. Suzie Weber, Naturopath

By releasing and letting go of hurts and regrets in the past and fears of the future we bring ourselves into the present moment. Letting go of our thoughts and stresses, layer by layer until we find a place of relaxation and peace, bringing you truly into the moment to where you are right now. Let go - let go to love and spirit, let go for you, and awaken to feel whole and present. Sound vibrations create a calm space, allowing you to energetically let go, bringing your being into a space of opening up to receive and absorb the benefits, allowing a deep peace and healing to take place. Improving your intuition and creative flow. Peter Bajic, Reiki and Sound Healer

Muscles store emotions and our body is a powerhouse for emotions. So, other than physical treatments, there is another way to release our powerhouse from pain or dis-ease/discord. Try writing a letter (to a person in your past/present/future, perhaps to your younger self) expressing all that you need to, reach for a level of understanding, compassion and forgiveness. Release the emotion connected to the situation through your words. Then burn the letter until there is nothing left, allowing the process to wash away any negative emotions. Forgiveness isn't about THEM; it's about setting YOU free on a conscious, energetic level. My mission is to release as many people as possible, from pain and restriction in mind, body and spirit.Daniela Mallozzi, Massage Therapist & Muscle Corrective Therapy, Life Coach

Sometimes we are not aware of how much we are holding onto until someone presses into muscles and at that moment when we give ourselves permission to release unnecessary tensions it provides us with another level of relaxation. Leave your troubles at the door and relax into an hour of solitary bliss. A heated bed and soothing hands will help you let go of your stress and busy lifestyle and really....let go. A warm coconut oil and relaxing Swedish full body massage or a beautiful 1 hour facial that rehydrates your skin, treating yourself and letting go completely. Let someone else take care and nurture you. Sally Fordyce, Beauty Therapist

Letting go of ruminating thoughts about the past and worries about the future can help us be more present in the ‘here and now’. We cannot change the past nor have much control over the future. All we can do is choose to live fully in the present and in this way enhance our sense of emotional well-being and enjoyment of life. Psychological counselling can help guide you in this process to identify thoughts that keep you stuck in emotional states you would like to change. So, take the first step of change by booking an appointment with Fili, a psychologist with over 25 years experience in guiding people to work on changes in their lives. Fili Perdikaris, Psychologist

As winter arrives, Mother Nature indicates it is time for a deeper reflection, time to slow down and go inwards and to sort out what is necessary to keep, what we need, what we want, and what we have to get rid of. It is not only valid for our pantry and wardrobe, but our emotions, feelings, repeating patterns in our life. There is only room for new and positive transformation when we are able to move on from the patterns that hold us to where we are now, when we can gracefully and easily let emotions flow through us, as grief, guilt and regret (these emotions relate most to the Large Intestine and Metal element). In kinesiology and coaching we use many methods to bring the body, mind and spirit back to balance, amongst them are Positive EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) tapping, reflex points to stimulate or sedate the under or over-energized organ, essential oils, vibrational sprays and essences, breathing techniques, visualization, meridian tracing, chakra balancing and other very effective emotional techniques. Anita Racz, Kinesiologist, Time Line Therapist, Life Coach, Positive EFT Practitioner

The telltale sign of whether we have 'something' to let go of (we may not even need to identify with what 'something' is), is all in the way we breathe. Holding on emotionally and getting caught up in the busyness of mind-thoughts is directly represented by the movement, or lack of, in our diaphragm muscle. Lack of diaphragmatic movement creates strain on the heart, neck, shoulder and ribcage tension, poor posture and a weakened core, overstimulates the entire nervous system and can be the cause of anxiety, asthma, sleep apnea, insomnia and frequent feelings of confusion, as well as impacting the health and 'letting go' function of all our internal organs and flow of our lymphatic system thereby creating stiffness in muscle tissue. It's a vicious cycle as these conditions generate more stress, mental instability and potentially disease. Did you know over 70% of your body's waste is released by your breath - but only if you are breathing efficiently? Set yourself a goal this month to add 5 mins of Pranayama (breathing focus) to your everyday. Sit comfortably, close your eyes and create a steady smooth flow of breath by imagining your breath to be long threads entering and leaving the nostrils - lengthening your exhale until you have emptied your lungs completely. Notice if your breath is moving more into your chest or your belly. Repeat for 10 rounds. Now include a practice that helps to free the diaphragm muscle (sometimes it can become stuck after trauma or if it's not used to deepening the breath) - imagine you are blowing out a birthday cake with 100 candles - blow slowly out through pursed lips - feel your lower ribs draw inward. Your inhale will be involuntarily through the nostrils and your diaphragm drops. You might notice the breath now feels more lower into the body. Sit with this breath. Whenever you notice yourself getting stressed or feeling overly emotional - practice blowing out your candles and let the breath settle, and let go. Namaste. Nicole Whiteman, Yoga Pilates & Pranayama Teacher

You will often hear in your yoga practice, ‘let it go’ or ‘surrender completely’ and they are wonderful guidelines to enhance your health and wellbeing however it is often more easily said than done. In a world of constant stimulation, compulsive thinking and busyness you might think the answer is complicated but it really is very simple although it does require your complete attention and discipline to follow this little formula to just BE. B is for breathing, be aware of the path of your breath, notice where it moves, how it feels, the quality, sound, temperature of the breath as it enters and leaves the body.E is for enjoy, being completely grateful for the moment to moment experience of your life. BE passionate about breathing calmly, slowly and taking the time to explore your breathing, observing….enjoying.When you engage and learn to BE you will find yourself naturally letting go, even if at first it is just for a moment, eventually those moments will build into minutes and you will have really taken some time out. Letting go…just be Rachael Storrie, Yin Yoga Teacher

A holistic approach to wellness through Naturopathyby Suzie WeberMy passion for health and natural remedies started early on in high school. I was deeply fascinated by the healing qualities of nature’s antidotes, and how our health could be enriched or destroyed through health choices. Fifteen years later, my passion for naturopathy and healing has remained and only grown stronger!

I have been fortunate to work alongside numerous Naturopaths and health practitioners over the years, where I have drawn on their expertise and my own clinical experience to gain a thorough understanding of the body, health and wellness.

My mission is to educate and empower people to achieve their most healthy, radiant, energized self. Through tailored treatment plans, practical evidence-based resources and ongoing guidance, I will help you find your way through the maze towards your best health, empowering you to make decisions that support you in achieving your own unique health goals.I am committed to delivering optimal patient care to help achieve your best possible health.

What is Naturopathy?Naturopathy is a holistic approach to wellness based on the principle that the body has the innate ability to heal itself when the right environment is provided. It looks beyond symptoms to identify and treat underlying causes of illness by considering you as a whole – mind, body, and spirit.

I will work in conjunction with your GP and/or specialists to achieve optimal health & wellness. Functional & medical pathology testing are also available to help identify any areas hindering your wellbeing.

What Happens During a Consultation?A consultation often takes 60 – 90minutes. I will take an in-depth wellness history, where I will ask you about diet, lifestyle, stress, and environmental exposures. I may also conduct a physical examination, take your blood pressure, check your pulse, analyse your iris (iridology) and possibly request further laboratory or functional testing if necessary.

Read more about Suzie here. Available for consultations Tuesday’s & every second Saturday. Bookings can be made by calling Suzie directly on 0401152576 or email

Suzie has a special Introductory offer for May of $99 for a 1.5hr initial consultation, usually priced at $120.

In Health & Happiness,Suzie

What is Muscle Corrective Therapy?by Daniela MalloziI am excited to join such an establishment as Body Awakenings. It's always interested me to be around people who take time in their lives to live consciously and with purpose. I suppose that's why I have travelled and lived in a variety of beautiful countries, learning and shaping myself a little bit more with each blessed experience.

Growing up in England, a home where 'healing' and therapy was welcomed, definitely peaked my interest in holistic health and wellbeing. I remember feeling a great sense of pleasure seeing the sparkle in people's eyes when they were happy, in peace, out of pain. So it seemed natural to take the next step towards becoming a therapist myself. Life coaching and teaching also help nurture my love of people, purpose and knowledge.

Being a Massage therapist (Sports/Remedial, Indian Head, Foot massage) has many benefits including helping people to relax, though something felt like it was missing... I realised that as well as helping people to feel good, I wanted to provide a therapy that would help to correct any restriction and pain they may experience... and so the training continued and the therapy that was to define my work came at the perfect time; something I soon realised from a young age, happened a lot; creating my life philosophy -Everything happens for a reason and in perfectly imperfect time!

Muscle Corrective Therapy (MCT) revolutionised the way I now see the body. An intricate perfect web weaved with fascia (a fibrous membrane connective tissue covering every part of our internal body) and muscles (and a few other bits and bobs ;) If one part of the web is pulled out of alignment, the web is no longer synchronised and the spider (you) may then become stuck or restricted.

Muscle Corrective Therapy (MCT) works to put the web back together. Essentially, MCT corrects the restricted/tightened muscles so they can lengthen back to their original state. When all muscles are softened and lengthened as normal, the rest of the body can realign accordingly.

The results I was having with this corrective work were amazingly positive, and I knew this therapy was the key to the pain puzzle! My clients were realigned and out of chronic or acute pain. Some had been seeing other therapists for years, with no long-term results. After a few weeks of MCT they had no need to return to their Physio/Chiro/Osteo. They need only return to maintain their now synchronised web. MCT works, and my clients remind me of that with each treatment, in the peaceful, relieved look in their eyes following their session.

My mission is to help as many people as possible to live with ease and purpose wherever possible.

MCT takes approximately 35-45 minutes as it is a specialised treatment, working to get a release in relevant areas. Sessions usually take 4-6 weeks to realign and correct as it takes time to correct the muscles from a cellular level so they don't revert back to old trauma. Each week we work deeper into the muscle fibres; through the soft tissue, deep tissue and connective tissue getting to the cellular memory of the muscle.

The body WANTS to be healed so it usually responds quickly and effectively to this corrective work, producing positively powerful results, hence my increasingly consistent passion and enthusiasm.

In short, massage softens and relaxes, MCT corrects and realigns.

I am now happy to be able to offer these two types of treatments to you and anyone you know who may benefit.

I look forward to sharing this beautiful space and helping as many of you as possible to weave your web of ease and purpose so you can glide freely and peacefully in your beautiful life.

Namaste Daniela Mallozi ​Bookings can be made by phoning Daniela directly 0422 719 352 or email

What is Kinesiology?by Anita RaczI am Anita Racz, and I am joining the wonderful group of practitioners at Body Awakenings as a Holistic Kinesiologist and Life Coach. If you are wondering that kinesiology is for you, please keep reading on, as I am going to share with you what kinesiology is and what it can help you with.

Briefly, it is a holistic modality that helps you to access what your body, mind and spirit needs in order to be healthy. It is in this place of optimal health that you are able to reach your full potential in life.It is empowerment, freedom and success in being all you are meant to be, on EVERY level. Emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually. Founded on Traditional Chinese Medicine and Chiropractics, kinesiologists believe that at some deep unconscious level, your body knows exactly what it needs to be healthy. Using this powerful combination of Eastern and Western wisdom together we will tap into what is really going on in your subconscious mind and energetic body.

How does it work?Precise muscle monitoring techniques are applied to identify and correct energy blockages within the body. The idea is that each muscle group is related to a body part: digestive system, nerves, organs, meridians etc. How the muscles respond to different tests reveal the body's functioning and helps to locate imbalances. The body has an innate ability to be able to heal itself, but sometimes it needs a helping hand. The answer is always inside of you. Bypassing your conscious thinking we will discover the cause of the problem within the subconscious body and energetic system.

The processWhere your attention goes energy flows.When we conduct a Kinesiology and Coaching session we call it a balance– for we are balancing the energy systems of the body. What we mean by energy systems are those things you cannot touch or see, like emotions, thoughts, your intuition.In each session we will work towards a goal. In order to do this we will firstly have a chat about where you are currently at and what is going on for you. What issues you’re experiencing – mentally, emotionally, physically and/or spiritually.We will then get very clear on what is it you WANT to have in your life.In a session we are energetically aligning you and your subconscious mind with what it is you WANT, so that your reality starts to look like it.Once we have a good chat about what it is you would rather have we then get you up on the massage table where we use muscle testing to tap into and identify the priority issue to work on. We then use a range of techniques to identify where the energy blockages are and how these are relating to your subconscious mind and behavioural patterns. The process of Kinesiology and Coaching is wonderfully non invasive. The body will never take you anywhere you cannot handle. You will leave feeling empowered and able to take control of your life.

Kinesiology may assist with:

Improved physical performance

Health and vitality

Stress management

Aid the healing of muscle injuries

Increasing self esteem

Realising life goals

Overcoming past traumas

Increased confidence

Fears and anxiety, phobias

Brain integration

Behavioural issues

Learning difficulties

Techniques that may be used are:

Clearing sabotage patterns

Coaching/ Counselling

Belief system reframing

Acupressure (neuro lymphatic, neuro vascular, neuro emotional)

Vibrational Essences

Vibrational Oils

Resetting muscle responses

Spine, Cranial and Jaw work

Affirmations

Relaxation and visualisation work

Soul and Angel Cards

Emotional Freedom Technique

Time Line Therapy

Hypnotherapy

Why kinesiology?To understand myself better… It is through awareness that we are able to make changes in our thoughts, our behaviours and therefore our realityFor freedom… To create freedom for life to happen as I want to, to learn about and clear away my sabotage patterns.For support… The insights and experiences of others that help me come to my own awarenesses in sessions are gold. I feel supported and loved and able to dig deep with my own group of helpers, my coaches and kinesiologists.It is a constant journey. There are no quick fix wonder therapies. But by committing to understanding yourself better your world will start to look different. It will start to look the way you want it to look.

Join me in this graceful journey of discovery and let me be your support along the way.

Come along for a 30-minute mini-balancing session in February 2016 for only $55, and enjoy the benefits of a more balanced, full of vitality version of Yourself.Even your Yoga practice will benefit! For other specials and packages, please contact Anita Racz directly on 0401 338 193 or by email

Why Yoga Retreats can benefit your health and enhance your practiceby Rachael StorrieRecently I was fortunate enough to attend my first yoga retreat with our studio and my first ever! After practicing yoga for many years now, I had never been on a retreat due to a variety of circumstances … but this time I was able to go without any expectation but to embrace whatever the experience was going to present to me. Being able to meditate and practice yoga twice daily, I relished the opportunity to immerse deeper, without distraction. The experience was transformative in ways that I know will enhance the everyday for me personally. Having the time to focus on you and your own inner landscape and how that helps you relate to yourself is one of the key gifts of a retreat.

There are a few features of a retreat that I believe are the formula for this level of connection and it is best to begin with the most obvious, disconnecting from technology. Although most retreats have some wi-fi the disconnection is not complete but for longer periods of time than our busy lives usually accommodate. Unplugging without the constant demand of emails, administration and responsibilities gives you the time to immerse and develop fresh perspective. Daily meditation, cleansing, subtle energy focus, asana and breath work promote a shift of whatever is no longer serving you well and embracing what is! Being away from home and giving yourself permission to relax and to really receive the benefits of your morning and afternoon practice without having to do anything else for the rest of the day enables your body and mind to experience profound rest and healing.

People choose to go on retreat for different reasons, some have wonderful jobs they enjoy, family and home and are looking for a little rest and relaxation and some are searching to really create change in their lives. The benefit of retreat is you have the time and space to do both. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced yogi a retreat is a great opportunity for you to find or re-connect with your inner bliss.

Click here for all the information on our Retreats for 2016 - see 'Retreats' tab - early bird savings apply if booked by 31st Dec!

Namaste into everyday - Living with the 8 Limbs of Yogaby Nicole WoodwardIt’s often that Yoga is misunderstood as a physical activity because in general if you go to a yoga class you work out with your body. To truly practice Yoga (meaning ‘Union’) is to study the 8 Limbs of Yoga, as written by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras thousands of years ago. This eightfold path acts as a set of steps or guidelines to live a meaningful and purposeful life. As any Yogi understands the ‘Asana’ (postures) are only one part of a Yoga practice that helps to bring all the limbs together. With more understanding of the 8 Limbs you may notice that ALL of them are threaded throughout your classes, whether you had realised it or not you were studying this practice that has so much more than physical benefits. Many students I have been blessed to share my teachings with over the years have shared with me how much their lives have transformed since coming to class and I have been fortunate enough to observe this over and over again, myself included. Even if we think all we are doing is a physical practice, Yoga weaves its magic into our way of life. Life is better with Yoga!

I started out attending yoga classes at 17, and admit it was purely for the physical benefits, and it wasn’t until much later that I realised the impact it had made on all levels - emotionally, mentally and spiritually. My spiritual curiosity led me to reading many books and attending a variety of meditation classes, eventually studying as a teacher. Now in my forties I see that Yoga is truly embedded in my belief system and is my way of life. I can say that because with all the challenges I have faced and choices made I have remained true to this way of life, I am by no means a strict Yogi and at times it is definitely not easy, so I continue to grow more every day.

Below I have shared my own simple version of what the 8 Limbs of Yoga are to me in the hope that it expands on the practice you already have with us at the studio.

I can highly recommend studying the limbs to develop your own understanding and adaption into your way of life and belief system, it is important to note that it is not a religion and the limbs blend with any religious belief. I can suggest reading ‘Demystifying Patanjali – The Yoga Sutras’ by Swami Kriyananda (the sutras for dummies basically ) and ‘The Tree of Yoga’ by BKS Iyengar.

Brahmacharya – continence, virtue – a higher awareness and control of intimate relations with others, including the Divine eg fidelity in marriage, abstaining from uncontrollable needs & sexual desires (treating sex as a union not a need)

Aparigraha – noncovetousness – only having what is necessary, abstaining from greediness of a material nature and possessiveness over others.

Niyama – how we treat ourselves, self-discipline, contemplation and spiritual observances. For some reason the Yamas always seemed easier than how I treat myself. For many it is not until an intentional focus during asana practice or meditation of assessing our inner dialogue and how we treat ourselves that a shift can be made towards contentment. I decided to change my thoughts so that I always spoke to myself as I would to my very best friend, with love and kindness. Use your time on the mat to check in with the 5 Niyamas:

Santosha – contentment – living with loving kindness and gratitude of Self

Tapas – heat, discipline, austerity – having the discipline to practice or go for a walk even when we don’t feel like it because we know the benefits, having the courage to NOT listen to those negative voices in our head. Self-confidence building requires a steady Agni – our inner fire, core. Feed this inner fire with acts of courage, strength of will and persistence.

Isvara Pranidhana – surrender to the Divine – dissolving the endless agitations of the mind and becoming Samadhi (8th Limb), losing the connection to “I” and becoming divine nature connected to all that is.

Asanais the practice of postures. The body is a temple and we only get the one! Treat it with care and maintain functional movement, rehabilitate and develop an increased awareness and sensitivity to the whole body – muscles, joints & internal organs. With this awareness you can prevent injury and onset of illness. Regular practice of asana forms the habit of discipline and the ability to concentrate, both necessary for meditation and living with a stable mindset. We learn to breathe and move with ease. Notice in your next class how you can practice your Niyamas, Pranayama, Pratyahara and Dharana – DON'T even notice anyone else on their mat. Know your limitations and learn how to practice (and live) without causing harm to yourself.Pranayamais breath control. The breath not only creates union between mind and body, Prana is the life source – our union with the Divine. With breathing techniques we replenish the body and improve respiratory function, we heal ourselves emotionally and physically, as well as developing the ability to concentrate and focus for meditation. Pranayama is a heightened awareness of our energetic selves.Pratyahara is withdrawal from the 5 senses (sound, touch, sight, taste, smell). By drawing our awareness away from the external world and outside stimuli we can self observe – notice our cravings, habits that are detrimental to our health and are likely to be impacting our growth. There are practices using props to assist in pratyahara – including eyepillows, bandages, blankets (ask your teacher). Dharana is concentration. Pratyahara creates the setting for dealing with the distractions of the Mind itself, the precedent for focus in meditation. Not an easy task! Learn how to slow the thinking process by focusing on a singular object – an image, an area of the body, the breath, a repetitious sound or mantra, a candle flame or mandala. Extended periods of concentration leads to meditation. Be kind to you – some days this is easy, and some it just isn’t, persist without judgment on your progress.Dhyana is expanded awareness, meditation. From regular practice of Dharana the focus expands to meditation, becoming the object of focus and everything else. The mind is quietened, and the stillness produces little or no thoughts at all. Absolute awareness without distraction. Samadhi is the ultimate connection to the Divine, transcending Self and becoming union with all that is. A state of ecstasy, pure bliss. What Patanjali has described as the completion of the yogic path is what, deep down, all human beings aspire to: peace. Also this ultimate stage of yoga—enlightenment—can neither be bought nor possessed. It can only be experienced, the price of which is the continual devotion. Whilst in the many years of my practice I can only claim to have experienced several, yet very profound, moments of Samadhi, some through meditation, and one or two as gifts in a moment where I had no intention set. In my belief only one experience was necessary for me to never forget this union, it’s with me always. Perhaps we only need to remember it, not necessarily ‘achieve’ it. The eight limbs can be seen as a way of peeling back the distractions of that we are not, so we simply remember who we are, rather than searching for it, it’s already within us.

Surya Namaskar - Sun Salutationby Rachael StorrieThe sun salutation is a wonderful way to warm and limber the body and connect with your breath in a moving meditation. In ancient India the name given to the sun god was Surya and Namaskar the name for salutation.

There is no definitively right way to do the salutation variation’s but the sequence was generally a series of 12 movements practiced for 12 rounds in the morning and often the afternoon as a symbol of worship to the god of the sun. The number 12 represents the 12 signs of the zodiac and the months of the year.

There are many variations of the sun salutation but all help to increase flexibility and remove stiffness from the body. The asanas are accompanied by deep breathing to encourage a clear mental focus and systematic movement of the body to improve circulatory health.

If you have only limited time a sun salutation sequence is a great way to work all the major muscle and joint groups. In yoga the postures are believed to ignite your agni or inner fire. When your inner fire is kindled it is believed that you are better able to digest and relate to all there is to experience around you and within you. When your agni is weak you may have trouble with everything from digestion to emotional issues.

Essentially the sun salutation is a great way to start the day for a short or longer practice. The key, as in all movement is to learn to read the messages your body is giving you, whether you intend to practice your salutation vigorously as well as slowly. Keeping your breathing steady and calm, your core activated and enjoy moving fluidly.

5 Guidelines to Enhance your Yoga Practiceby Rachael Storrie1/ Leave 2-3 hours between eating a large meal and your yoga practiceIn yoga we frequently twist the torso, bend forward and backwards, creating shapes with our bodies that often stimulate digestion. If you have only recently eaten a large meal that is not fully digested you may feel uncomfortable and bloated. If you suffer from low blood sugar levels you may feel better having something to small to eat, however avoid simple carbohydrates, choose foods that are light in protein and fats. Examples; almond butter with wholegrain crackers, a pear, small yoghurt, dried fruit and nuts or a small smoothie.2/ Make sure you are adequately hydrated during the dayBeing dehydrated can leave you feeling hungry, tired and sometimes nauseas. Stay hydrated during the day and you may be surprised how well and focussed you feel. This is very important especially for those that leave straight from work in the evening. Our bodies need time to absorb water and hydrate the body. A body that has taken in adequate water during the day will more efficiently flush out the toxins released during efficient breathing and postures that stimulate the kidneys. Being dehydrated makes our muscles and joints stiff, assist muscle and fascia release with hydration throughout the day.

3/ Switch off before your class…including your mobileIt would be greatly appreciated if you would turn your phone off and avoid using your phone in the yoga room.Take a few precious minutes and set the intention to switch off from everyone and everything, taking the time to physically and mentally prepare for your practice. Exit the world and constant communication and connect with you. Step into the space and onto your mat…completely present. Keep in mind you are respecting your fellow yogis who may be using the space to switch off. You need time to figure out what your body is telling you, with presence you can observe what those signals are. Once you have established where you are at in your body and mind, let that dictate your practice instead of any agenda you have have set previously. You are here….be here.4/ Practice Self-awarenessSelf awareness means observing you only! Resist watching and comparing yourself to others on their mat, refrain from self judgement or criticism. Yoga was traditionally practiced individually and not in a room full of people. Be focused on your breathing, calm the mind and the sensations your body is presenting you with. Every person has their own set of unique considerations, such as bone orientation in your skeleton varying from person to person, previous past or present injuries and energy levels - so each individual will look and feel so different to you in every pose, and you will feel different from one day to the next. Be self aware and everything will align itself.5/ Breathe with awarenessIn each posture go within yourself and use the breath to make that connection. Watch the effects this has on your mind and body. This is the best way to develop patience and wisdom in your postures as you use the breath to ease in and out of each movement. Mindful breathing is the priority at the beginning, middle and end of your practice. Let the pose be a journey of constant and yet subtle movement with the breath, rather than an end result. Let the breath move and nourish you. "To meditate with mindful breathing is to bring your body and mind back to the present moment so that you do not miss your appointment with life."~ Thich Nhat HanhWe hope the above guidelines will help you deepen your practice. Yoga is a discipline that can create balance and optimal health.

The Warrior Withinby Nicole WoodwardWe each do Yoga for our own reasons, they can be ten fold. Some start it for the flexibility, for rehabilitation from injuries, fitness, time-out from hectic life and children, for it’s meditative benefits and ultimately as a pathway to spiritual enlightenment. For whatever reason it may be, one thing is for certain the time you spend in Yoga practice is time for you and you alone. For me this practice brings out a better version of me. I like to consider my mat as my office space for life training – I not only check in with how my body feels and where it needs a bit of TLC, but I also listen to my inner dialogue and see whether it needs a little tweaking and improvement. When my body is comfortable and I treat myself with honesty and respect I am a much better version of me to share with the rest of the world.We each have our rollercoaster ride of life to experience and at times the challenges we face require the strength, endurance and the focus of a Warrior. On the mat we can put this into practice with a number of versions of Virabhadrasana – Vira (hero) + Bhadra (friend) + asana (pose), see below. Some days I need to be a gentle nurturing version of me, and others I need to warrior on to get through the day. Yoga provides tools for life, as for any discipline where you repeat an activity a memory embeds in the nervous system. Just like if you want to be a great singer you need to practice singing. As you practice your warrior pose reflect on times in your life when you may need to bring out a fearless, stable and grounded version of you. A spiritual warrior is recognised as someone whom embraces courage, integrity, compassion, discipline and training to master one's alter-ego - one who overcomes weakness of character. When you next return to your mat and think you are simply here for a stretch, there may be oh so much more you are getting, you might only be one warrior pose away from becoming an even better version of you!

Virabhadrasana - Warrior IClick here for how to do, note the variations of back heel turned in flat OR back foot up on toes - the second option relieves tension on inside back knee and helps prevent compression of Sacro-iliac joint. Watchout for floppy bellies and flaring ribs - lengthen through tail and only raise arms up to a height where you can maintain tone through upper belly, or keep hands to heart centre. Benefits: improves concentration, balance, groundedness, strengthen legs, opens hips, increases flexibility and tone of spine, circulation and lung/breath capacity.

Viparita Virabhadrasana - Reverse WarriorHow to do click here. Keep tone through belly so no collapse/compression in lumbar. Keep pressure on back edge of foot - don't let arch collapse or knee will collapse. Benefits: Strengthens back leg and arch of foot, squeezes kidney & adrenal, opens front of spine. Simulates being open to possibilities, to life. Welcoming challenges.

Parivrtta Virabhadrasana - Revolved WarriorFrom Warrior II, turn back heel out to come up onto toes and align hips forward with front leg. Lengthen through spine on breath in, and exhale navel to spine to rotate in opposite direction - lining hands up with front and back foot. Keep shoulders relaxed, extend through fingers. Benefits: tones internal organs, strengthens core & spinal rotation, improves balance, stability and ability to stay focussed on the moment. Develops stamina and endurance. Challenges ability to stay strong and focussed when the breath is restricted, learn how to deal with frustrations.

Enhance your well-being through Mindfulnessby Fili Perdikaris, PsychologistMindfulness is a skill that is quite simple to use in a variety of settings and can have some powerful effects to our sense of well-being through awareness, acceptance and compassion. What is Mindfulness?Mindfuness is defined as ‘the process of paying moment to moment attention to our present experience’ (Rick Hanson, 2012) In other words trying to bring our attention to the present moment and what we are doing. By directing our awareness to the ‘here and now’ we are immersing ourselves in the present and taking our usually busy minds away from thoughts which can create stress and anxiety. We are also enhancing our experience of the task at hand or the activity we’re engaging in by mindfully tuning into it. This helps to ground and centre us.Meditative ProcessA simple task of washing the dishes, which we often perform in a mechanical ‘mindless’ way, perhaps thinking of the myriad other tasks that need to be done that day can be used to practice mindfulness. We could start by feeling the sensation of soap suds on our hands and the water sliding through our fingers. This sensory focus can be quite pleasurable, turning a chore into a more enjoyable experience. The more we focus on the physical sensations of this task the less we are caught up in our minds with thoughts and we become truly present in the moment. The repetitive nature of the activity lends itself to mindfuless quite easily and can almost become a meditative process when the focus is present to such a degree that most thoughts fade out of the mind. Another one to try in the same manner is having a mindful showerNavigating FeelingsMindfulness can also be used to navigate feelings by tuning into our bodily sensation. For some intense feelings like anxiety, our natural instinct may be to try and avoid or ‘get rid’ of the feeling in some way. Lets face it; nobody really puts their hand up for anxiety; it can be extremely uncomfortableand accompanied by strong physical sensations such as a racing heart, difficulties breathing and in some instances, panic attacks. Using mindfulness with anxiety is based on the premise that the more we fear something the more we will create it. So, our instinct to get rid of the anxiety, creates a struggle which just fuels it and gives it more power to escalate. Often, panic can arise in this process and this increases the anxiety in a feedback loop.Turning off the ‘struggle switch’So if we want to mindfully manage feelings such as anxiety, we need to start with an awareness of the feeling. Try naming it and locating it in your body somewhere. Common places are the chest or stomach. Wherever you’re feeling the anxiety in your body, try creating space around it by breathing into it : deep, slow abdominal breaths. The act of creating space around the feeling is simply acknowledging that its there and giving it some room to be, rather than trying to supress it or run away from it, which escalates it.(Russ Harris, 2012) The acceptance and space allows the anxiety to just run its course and in this way usually fades more quickly. Also being mindful of the messages you’re giving to yourself about the anxiety may be helpful. Instead of ‘this it terrible, I can’t stand it etc’ we can try ‘its just anxiety, it feels uncomfortable and it will pass’ .As I like to say; if we can ‘switch off’ the struggle with anxiety we can ride the wave more easily. Once the anxiety subsides it may be useful to reflect on what you think it may be about and if there’s anything you need to attend to in your life.CompassionAnother mindfulness strategy which can be used with anxiety or sadness is to gently place our palm on our heart. This can help to slow down our heart rate and induce calm. The very act of touching our heart also reminds us to be compassionate with ourselves and tunes us in to the loving kindness that’s present in all of us. (Tara Brach, 2015). This is a crucial aspect of mindfulness, as without compassion towards ourselves it becomes more challenging to learn new skills and work on painful emotional issuesFili perdikaris is a Psychologist at Body Awakenings who specialises in using mindfulness for addressing psychological issues and enhancing emotional growth. See website. For Appointments call Fili directly on: 0448 355 551Medicare and Private Health Fund rebates

The Core of my Yoga by Nicole Woodward

In the 24 years of practicing Yoga I feel like I have only very recently come to understand my core. For any of my students who think as I teach my classes that all these asana (postures) came easy to me – I assure you that is far from the truth. My physical body has been challenged all over – from a breech birth with my legs pulled and twisted inwards I developed chronic hip dysplaysia, and the aggressive treatment in the 70’s of calipers and sleeping in plaster casts as a toddler caused damage to the cartilage in my right hip (and anembarrassing clunking sound as my hip adjusts itself in poses). The deep tooth-ache like discomfort in my hip meant I leaned into my left leg, that aggrevated my ITB and I had a knee reconstruction in my teens. I was born with Spondylolisthesis (slipping lumbar vertebrae) and exacerbated this with gymnastics and Cirque de Soleil like performances for family and friends in my youth, by my 20’s all hyperextension (upward dog) meant a sharp pain in my lower back. After several car accidents bringing on whiplash issues, tied with playing catcher at softball and a practicing massage therapist led to a rather angry shoulder & neck condition. I would say I had a lot to work with in my daily Yoga practice. However I only just recently realised I have gone for over a year free of any discomfort from of all of the above, and I put it down to finally understanding my Core.

I am very grateful of the insight I’ve received from two inspiring chiropractors, a physiotherapist and an exercise physiologist that have helped me develop the wisdom in my body I now have. However I am most grateful of my Yoga journey. In my teens and 20’s I sampled every Yoga style (yes even Bikram for 3 years!) I was born hypermobile and tended to be good at bending so I loved it. Except I had no stability – I was like a brakeless go-cart going down hill with joints wobbling all over the place. For any of you dreaming of your knee to nose in a forward bend – I think you are blessed with that brake-like feeling up your hamstrings. Hypermobility is not a gift, in fact it can be a curse for injuries (and especially old age). These days I love feeling my new set of brakes that stop me from knocking myself out on my knee cap! I call it muscle tone. Rather than striving for increased flexibility in Yoga, strive for balance of strength and flexibility - front and back, left and right sides. Our posture and core want balance, its only our ego that wants flexibility.

When I turned 30 something drew me (perhaps a little maturity?) into studying the Yogalates method – a much gentler and safer style – my ego hated it, but within 2 months I never felt my Spondylolisthesis EVER again. I have a lot to thank Louise Solomon for, she has continued to serve us on a silver platter each year at our updates developing our understanding of applying Core to Yoga. At a physical level my connection with core is having pelvic and spinal alignment – when we are in neutral spine our core can activate more effectively. The core muscles I most associate with are deep – Transversus Abdominis, Diaphragm, Pelvic Floor and Multifidus. There are a lot of other assisting core muscles but they have other functions in moving the spine and pelvis out of neutral, so if they’re not in balance of strength & flexibility they will challenge our posture and core. In my experience having sore abdominal muscles means I've targeted those muscles by bending the torso side-to-side or flexed forward – or it means I used those muscles instead of using my core efficiently in stabilizing. For me core muscles have no ‘after exercise ache’, they are stabilisers which we engage with awareness, other muscles no longer need to compensate when they are properly engaged.

Whilst I had been activating my core well for almost 10 years my body was still uncomfortable, it has only been in the last 2 years that something in my being shifted. There was a pivotal moment when I realized the best way to connect with core muscles was by backing off, it’s so much subtler, it’s with the breath. The Transversus Abdominis expands on the inhale, the natural intra-abdominal pressure of the torso expanding on the in breath creates support and stabilises the spine, ribcage and pelvis. Transversus Abdominus contracts on the exhale and this generates a domino effect up the length of the spine in the Multifidus muscles. The deep movement of the Diaphragm muscle creates a natural toning of the Pelvic floor. With poor breathing technique we can have a weakened core, pelvic floor and rigid spine and ribcage. With daily practice we can re-train our day-to-day breathing and improve our core. Then something else happened, when focussing on the breath we connect with the flow of Prana or Chi, our essence of being. We connect with our Hara (energy centre) in the lower belly. For me, in all asana the most important aspect is the breath being smooth and my awareness on my energy centre, rather than achieving the extreme version of the pose. By bringing this focus into my Yoga practice I have found my core physically to be the strongest it has ever been, and in myself I am the most content I have ever been with an unlimited source of energy. My body lined itself up without me forcing it, and my life appears to have lined itself up too!

I recently joined a cross-fit gym, and I was amazed at the strength and endurance I already have without having done any abdominal exercise for years, all I’ve done is demonstrate in my classes – no I do not secretly go off and ‘smash’ my abs. I believe my core is strong because I practice awareness of my posture and breath in everything I do. I do not enjoy a strong or fast Yoga class that takes me away from the importance of alignment and breathwork, I like my Yoga to be simple so I can stay connected with my core - I go to the gym when I want a vigorous workout. The pose I recommend the most in assisting development of core (believed to be the most difficult of all Yoga asana, I think it should be called the ‘king of all asana’) it’s Savasana – yes laying down. The challenge is being truly rested and remaining aware.

Lay your body in alignment and allow it to rest into that alignment, then breathe. Use your hands from one position for a few breaths to the next; guiding the breath across your collar bones and breast bone, into your side ribs, your side waist, around the back at your kidney area, down into your lower belly and pelvis. If you have difficulty activating core in standing postures, practice here in Savasana - accentuate the natural contraction on the breath out by drawing your navel in and narrowing your waist – make it subtle so that you do not move your pelvis or spine – that’s not your core activating. Connect with the movement of energy (prana) through your torso, particularly in your lower abdomen. Then take this to your other asana and day-to-day life and be in your Yoga.Namaste, Nic

Ayurveda - The Science of Life by Tiffany Macdonald

Ayurveda is a Sanskrit word that reveals its full meaning when broken down: Ayur = Life; and Veda = science or knowledge – and there you have the ‘science of life’. Ayurveda is the most ancient traditional and holistic system of medicine known to man. Originating in India some three thousand years ago, this ‘sister science’ of yoga assists in aligning people with natures’ rhythms in order to regain or maintain good health, physical and mental well-being. This ‘science of life’ honours the connection between mind, body and spirit in the quest for good health and happiness. So what could you expect from an Ayurvedic consultation?

Discovering Doshas & Elements: Your ‘dosha’ or ayurvedic ‘type’ will be diagnosed along with your individual ‘elemental’ makeup. Ayurveda recognises that each individual is unique, and there is no one size fits all approach to good health. The three doshas – or types – are Sanskrit words called Pitta, Kapha and Vata – and the elements include ether, air fire, water and earth. Health issues (both physical and mental) arise when our doshas and elemental combinations are out of balance – either in excess or due to depletion. Using a combination of your dosha (type) and dominant element/s information can be given in terms of your best match to maintain harmony including diet, career, relationships, leisure pursuits, exercise regimes, daily routines to maintain physical and mental health.

Tongue Diagnosis: The consultation also includes an overall health check of your digestive system, main organs (heart, liver, lungs, kidneys etc) as well as spinal and muscle health using the tongue as a diagnostic tool.

Treatments in Ayurveda:If an imbalance is identified during the consultation, a course of dietary recommendations, lifestyle routines, exercise, yoga practices, meditation, herbs, ayurvedic oil massage, herbal body steams and/or lifestyle treatments may be recommended. These treatments can assist in both physical and mental ailments. Due to the extensive use of natural herbs, spices and oils in treatments, any product used on the skin is also edible. The use of black sesame oil (the most common base for infusing herbs) is hugely beneficial in treatments as this oil has been proven to penetrate all of the ‘dautus’ or layers of the body – the skin, ligaments, joints, bones, bone marrow and even enters the bloodstream. The result is a deeply effective treatment that continues to heal even after the “hands-on” application has completed. Treatments include relief for the following symptoms:

Ayurveda for Natural Beauty:Ayurveda has also been used for thousands of years by both men and women to keep skin, hair and eyes lustrous, teeth white and for general organic beauty. Ayurvedic beauty treatments include:

Facials to deeply cleanse and nourish the skin

Ubtans (masks) for both face and body to keep skin free from toxins, calm blemishes and reduce the appearance of marks

I hope you have enjoyed learning a little more about Ayurveda – or the science of life – and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further queries, or would like to book infor my workshop on Saturday 21st March 1.00-3.00pm or a consultation or treatment! Namaste, Tiffany

Inversions are fun... but Headstands may not be as cool as you think by Nicole Woodward

There’s no doubt inversions are fun, and often considered the pinnacle of a Yogi’s practice – given the wonderful benefits listed below. Some may only be for the more experienced Yogi, and as it goes with many of the more challenging Yoga asana (poses), we can find ourselves in the usual internal conflict between our Ego and Ahimsa (i.e. practicing kindness to Self and others, cause no harm or injury) – which one will win ….. the one we feed!There are many modifications that make inversions accessible for almost all students. In my experience the old saying goes, it’s the journey not the destination that brings the most joy. With a trained instructor designing a practice for you to develop the ability in achieving the desired asana can provide more long-term benefits, including the patience required, than the asana alone. Feed your Ahimsa!

The question I have been recently asked is “why don't our classes finish with a headstand – its not a yoga class if it doesn’t”. From the contraindications listed above given the number of individuals suffering from neck strain, poor alignment of the head & spine, lacking abdominal strength, along with apparently 60% of us are overweight – we are left with possibly 5% NOT contraindicated! If we cannot stand up right with good posture it sure doesn’t improve when we go upside down on our head. If it’s damaging to knees and lower back to be overweight – imagine how those little cervical (neck) vertebrae will feel! With the group classes I prefer to instruct less risk inversions, unless the group is maximum 4 students. I am happy for any practiced student completing a class themselves in headstand (Sirsasana) – as long as it doesn’t look like this with no postural alignment and no core, the strengthening aspects of the pose just disappeared and the risk of neck damage outweighs any benefits left in my opinion.

To practice a headstand safely, be guided by a trained instructor of the precautions, they will then assess your abilities in easier and preparatory poses. Learn how to find the exact location on the top of the head which is about the size of a 20 cent piece – 1cm forward or behind this spot can cause damage to cervical vertebrae. When the head is positioned well, the spine and legs aligned and active, the core on and strength is in the arms and shoulders – each of the 24 vertebrae and discs are stacked like pieces of lego with blu-tac wedged evenly between. It is absolute bliss - and benefits ARE achieved without the risk. When using a wall it should only be there for safety otherwise you are directing all your weight into C1/C2 below the skull. How many inches the back of the head is from the wall, the pelvis and heels should be the same. Kicking up into a headstand against a wall misses the benefits of developing abdominal strength required to roll or fold up, and risks thrusting your whole body weight uncontrollably onto your neck without knowing if you have the arm and shoulder strength to cope! There are so many alternatives to develop the control of coming into inversion, and still gain all the benefits of inversion without being on the head. Sirsasana may be known as the King of all asana – but the risk can cause damage for life.

Practice with Patience, Wisdom and Ahimsa

As a remedial therapist I've treated many clients long term for poorly practicing this pose in their early Yogi years. Before attempting any asana ask are you being guided by Ego or Ahimsa, what is the purpose of this asana and am I taking risk? As teachers we have a duty of care to practice Ahimsa on our students, giving proper instruction and not encouraging something they aren't yet developed for. As a Yoga practitioner of over 20 years, a teacher of 12 years, it has been a process of self-discovery as well as learning to assess and encourage the development of students’ abilities and weaknesses. At Body Awakenings we do not teach headstands in large classes. However, if Sirsasana, or any other inversion, is your goal for 2015 come for a play at my Inversions for Fun Workshop next month, or book in a private session. There's a variety of inversions that are not as daunting nor risky as a headstand, some are more challenging and beneficial – such as a handstand (Adho Mukha Vrksasana) or Scorpion (Vrschikasana) as they require more control of balance and have the strength in the shoulders which helps release tension in the neck. In my workshop you will learn what is required to achieve inversion, regardless of your weaknesses there will be one for you! My goal last year was to rehabilitate from an acute shoulder and neck condition. It took a whole year and a lot of patience before I could consider many of the inversions I used to love, however headstands I will no longer practice myself. I feel stronger than I have for over 10 years, and the most powerful healer, amongst reassessing and giving up a few things, was the practice of ahimsa.

HEALING WITH SOUND… by Peter Bajic

“There will come a time when a diseased condition will not be described as it is today by physicians and psychologists, but it will be spoken of in musical terms, as one would speak of a piano that was out of tune.” Rudolph Steiner

When you hear a song or a piece of music it can take you back to a particular time and place, a special person or event in your life creating a magical transformation in your being with the feelings associated with it. Music can directly influence your mood. Perhaps from a happy place or event in your life or a certain person that you hold dear. These emotions can alter our personal vibrations with a direct link to a cellular level.

All is sound and rhythm, everything in the universe vibrates. The ancient Vedic sages believed that the universe is held together by the sound of Aum (Om).

Many indigenous cultures used sound to communicate and heal, the drum being one of the first instruments. Shamans (medicine people) played the drum during healings, rituals and gatherings to heal and unite an individual or the village into one vibration, raising the frequency to connect with the spirit world.

The Australian Aborigines played the didgeridoo also for healing and entering the dreamtime. Tibetan monks use a deep vocal sound that is similar to the didgeridoo.

Today sound therapy is gathering new momentum. Modern practitioners are combining ancient instruments with new technology to gain an harmonic resonance with sound vibration and patient. Many experiments have been done with harmonic resonance, one simple example is by placing two similarly tuned guitars opposite each other in a room, by plucking a string on one of the guitars, the same string on the other guitar will vibrate as well. The same can be done with tuning forks. That is the principle of a sound healing session.

Well being is about harmony with mind, body and soul. When we are in a state of disharmony our system is out of balance, out of tune, vibrating at a lower level. The basic law of attraction is like attracts like, everything is pure energy vibrating at different frequencies. A sound therapy session will assist in aligning your body to its natural rhythm and vibration promoting self healing and balance.

We all have the ability to self heal with the natural beauty of sound. A walk through a forest listening to the birds, the wind in the trees and a gentle flowing stream. The sound of the ocean waves on the shore can stir our most deepest and ancient parts, as if calling us home. It is the energies and frequencies we can hear and feel that bring us to a place of inner harmony and balance.

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything” Plato

Menopause by Yvette Farmer, NaturopathA natural part of life, why not turn to nature for support through this change? The menopausal years may be the richest years of a woman’s life, forged by a lifetime of experience, wisdom and inner strength. However, many women experience emotional and physical upheaval during peri-menopause, including fatigue, fluctuating mood swings, hot flushes, night sweats depression and insomnia. On top of this, it is common for women to approach menopause already stressed and adrenally ‘burnt out’, with poor eating and lifestyle habits. These factors all add to their hormonal chaos. Managing peri-menopause requires women to re-focus their energy and to take care of themselves in new ways – sometimes for the first time in their lives. Naturopathy takes a holistic approach to menopause.Naturopaths use lifestyle advice, practitioner-only Herbal and Nutritional Medicine and specific dietary modifications to help women reduce the symptoms of menopause and feel full of life.

Simple tips to incorporate into your life right now!

Ground flaxseeds (4 tablespoons per day) provide excellent hormonal support as well as providing good quality dietary fibre and essential Fatty acids. Freshly ground each day is ideal. (Keep in a dark container in the fridge.) Sage tea: chop seven fresh sage leaves and soak them overnight in lemon juice. In the morning, strain and drink the juice, diluting with water to taste. Fresh sage leaves are available from your local fruit store and some supermarkets. Another option is to brew the leaves in boiling water for approximately 6 minutes. May be taken 2-3 times a day. Brew with peppermint tea for taste.

Manage stress. As your ovaries stop producing oestrogen, the adrenal glands become your reservoir for oestrogen production. If your adrenals are exhausted, you're more likely to experience exacerbated menopausal symptoms. Yoga is a great start! What’s involved in a Naturopathic consultation for menopause?

Osteoporosis risk assessment

Zinc tally test: determining zinc status is crucial at this stage of life.

Want to feel energised, relaxed, stay healthy and heal yourself at the same time? If so then a regular Qi Gong class may be just what you are looking for. Qi Gong is the practice of aligning breathing, movement and mind for exercise, healing and meditation. Through using postures (stationary or moving), breathing techniques and mind we can build up awareness of the flow of Qi (energy / life force) within us and learn to guide it through our body. With practice we learn how to sense, build up and flow the Qi energy through our body, eliminating blockages and correcting imbalances

With the correct instruction, methods and practice anyone can learn to sense and control the vibration and flow of their body’s internal Qi and its connection with their body and spirit. Health Qi Gong teaches mental and physical exercises to heal and strengthen the immune system and to improve organ function. It is estimated that more than 80 million people practice some form of Qi Gong in Beijing everyday and many more world wide.

Qi Gong ExercisesQi Gong exercises are very gentle and are suitable for everyone, they can be done standing or seated, and some can be done lying down. They deepen breathing, increase circulation, improve muscle tone and concentration. Qi Gongs meditative qualities make it a great way to start or distress at the end of the day. It is also very good to do at lunch time particularly if you have been sitting in front of a computer with the stress building in your shoulders and back.

Qi Gong is very suited to be performed in an office, at an airport (discreetly) or on a cruise, anywhere that you need to exercise and increase your circulation / feeling of well being and space or balance could be an issue. This doesn’t mean that you can’t use this practice in an open park, with all the fresh air and trees around I highly recommend it. Each class is split into three areas: Techniques to circulate the Qi, techniques for healing and techniques for meditation

Come along and learn how to keep yourself healthy now and in the future, with these easy to learn and enjoyable exercises that you can take anywhere with you.

What exactly is Qi Gong?Qi Gong can be thought of as breathing exercises combined with mental and physical training for the prevention and treatment of diseases and also for health care and extension of life. Qi Gong teaches how to control and quiet the mental functions and also how to regulate respiration/breathing and spirit.

WHAT IS QI ? “Qi” means vital energy or life force. Qi can be classified into 1. “Qi of the former heaven” (i.e pre-natal or pre-birth Qi) and 2. “Qi of the latter heaven” (i.e post-natal or post-birth Qi). Pre-natal Qi: can be classified into Essential Qi and Primordial Qi. Essential Qi is obtained from the parents at the earliest stages of life, during the formation of the foetus. Primordial Qi refers to the fundamental matter and motivating force that maintains the physiological functions of the body’s tissues and organs. During the development of the foetus, Primordial Qi is already formed. It is then stored in the kidneys and is closely related with the gate of life. Post-natal Qi: can be classified Heavenly Qi and Earthly Qi. Heavenly Qi refers to the air we breathe in an out of the body during respiration. Earthly Qi is absorbed from water and grain from the earth. Actually it includes all vital energy absorbed from various foods through the digestive system by our solid and hollow bodily organs to maintain vital activities. The relationship between Pre-natal Qi and Post-natal Qi is: the Pre-natal Qi is the motivating force of life. The Post-natal Qi is the material upon which life relies for its maintenance. Human life and its activities are motivated by the Pre-natal Qi and supplemented by Post-natal Qi. WHAT IS “GONG”? “Gong” means a method of exercise to build up vital energy (Qi/Chi). The three essential factors of Qi Gong: Adjusting the body (standing, lying, sitting, kneeling and hand postures), Adjusting the breathing (natural, reverse, interval and naval/foetal breathing), Adjusting the mind (emptying the mind, concentration).

The two essential states of Qi Gong:Moving state (walking, Step Back, waving, stretching), Static state (standing, lying, sitting, kneeling and hand postures)

SummaryA Qi Gong class is suitable for everyone, it will leave you feeling deeply physically and mentally relaxed yet full of energy and ready to jump back into your life.

For more information on Stephen's Qi Gong classes click here go to 'Workshops' Click here to see one of Stephen's Qi Gong practices

"To meditate with mindful breathing is to bring body and mind back to the present moment so that you do not miss your appointment with life" Thich Nhat Hanh

In a sophisticated and busy society everything around us has become so complicated and regulated that there is little or no time leaving more of us feeling stressed and ‘burnt out.’ It has become necessary if you would like to achieve balance in your life to build it into your diary and making time for your health, a priority. In this blog I am highlighting the importance of learning how to access the tools that will contribute towards empowering you to create your optimum physical and mental health, in particular meditation. Meditation can be engaged with in many ways by conscious breathing, guided meditations, mindfulness and yoga nidra to name a few. Many paths with the same objective, to nourish the body and the mind, elevating your total well being. Studies show that engaging in meditation and mindfulness, your ability to make clear decisions, cope with stress, depression, anxiety, grief, fear and panic are greatly improved. Physically lowering your blood pressure, calming the nervous system, improving sleep and increasing energy levels. The brain is much more malleable than once thought and re-training the neural pathways to engage in single focus techniques is a matter of guidance and practice. Finding a technique that you connect with and works for you is the key and often at first will require the help of an experienced practioner. Sharing on a personal level in the beginning of my journey toward developing a meditation practice in my own life I found that a guided meditation was best. I very quickly worked out that my thoughts were dispersed and I was only able to keep a clear mind space for a few seconds. After enrolling in a 5 week course I was surprised at how quickly I was able to immerse in a mindful space and began to receive the benefits of this practice in various ways that were important to me. As I speak from experience I can only encourage others to explore including mindfulness and meditation into their week and ideally their day. Bringing your mind home to your body, being in the present and establishing yourself in a clear peaceful state not only benefits you but those around you. Namaste Rachael

DETOX- Is it worth it? Yvette Farmer: Clinical Naturopath, Medical Herbalist IN SHORT- YES! Periodic cleansing is needed to flush toxins from the body that if left to accumulate will lead to health problems such as headaches, sluggishness and digestive complaints. HOW IS YOUR DIGESTION? Do you ever feel sluggish, especially after eating a fatty meal? Are your bowl motions regular? Do you have energy slumps in the afternoon? Perhaps it’s time to think about a detox? “ALL DISEASE BEGINS IN THE GUT.” Hippocrates was right! It amazes me how many of my patients other health concerns (such as anxiety, depression, PMS, low libido and even joint inflammation) can be addressed by fixing the gut. It makes sense. If your digestion isn’t functioning at an optimal level, you won’t be absorbing the vitamins and minerals from your food. Vitamins and minerals are released from food when they are broken down in the gut. GET RID OF IT! Hormones, toxins from the environment, medicines, vitamins, food additives, the list goes on. Our body is constantly detoxifying. It does a good job. It is designed to detoxify. Sometimes however, especially when our lives become out of balance (too much refined carbohydrates, not enough leafy greens, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, you know the culprits.) support is needed. A good cleanse is called for. You can feel it, something isn’t quite right. You know you could feel better. Listen to your body. MAKE YOUR DEXTOX SAFE: A SAFE detox isn’t a two week fast! It involves ADDING specific foods to your diet to support your digestive system and your liver in detoxifying… and yes there are a few foods (and beverages) on the no go list. It is important to detoxify sensibly, under the guidance of a health care professional. There are many “detox/weigh loss” programs on the market that are outright dangerous. HOW WILL YOU FEEL? A natural detoxification program is one of the most effective strategies for rapidly improving the state of your health as it may help clear toxins out of your body and leave you feeling healthy and energetic. Depending on your body’s state of health and your diet, you may experience some short term withdrawal symptoms such as headaches. These will pass. It is worth it! A TIP FOR GETTING STARTED: This non-dairy breakfast smoothie is bursting with antioxidants and omega-3Ingredients1 banana Handful of almonds Handful of blueberries Handful of organic oats Sprinkling of chia seeds1 cup of rice milk Some ice cubes

Check out Body Awakenings special 'Winter Wellness pack' plus Winter Detox option $405 (or $55 alone without unlimited Yoga 3 months) - click here, go to 'Online Purchasing' 'Packages' for details and purchase Come along to Yvette's second“Natural Energy Lift Workshop”. “The first workshop was so popular I am running it again! This time with lunch provided! Yum!” Saturday 19th of July at 1pm. Book online go to 'Workshops' tab, space is limited, online booking free, payment $25 required on the day.

What is the different between Yoga and Pilates and Yogalates?By Nicole Woodward, Solomon YogalatesTM Trainer & Chakra Vinyasa Yoga Teacher

(click on the highlighted words to see more information on that subject)

Pilates is the exercise system, developed by Joseph Pilates in 1920's, that trains the participant on core activation and then moves the body's limbs from a stabilised torso. Developing long lean muscles with an emphasis on spinal and pelvic alignment, toning the abdominals and strengthening the back. In a mat class, like what we have at Body Awakenings, you can expect to do most the exercises on the floor, with the use of props such as the circle, therabands and small hand weights. The breath work in Pilates can differ from Yoga in that the breath out is through the mouth to extend the use of abdominal muscle contraction for the movement being exerted on the exhale. There are no different 'types' of Pilates except that at different studios the props may differ and there are mat exercises and some studios supply the additional use of Reformers. Teachers offer many variations on levels for beginner, intermediate to advanced in all classes - an intermediate student can still feel benefit from a basic level class. The mat work exercises and different levels provided makes Pilates suitable if recovering from injury or have difficulty in exercising because of conditions in the joints. Over time students will notice increased strength in spine and abdominals and improved posture.

Yoga is a sanskrit word meaning 'union', and is a discipline believed to have been derived from India, developed to unite Mind, Body and Spirit. There is no one religion that Yoga evolved from, however the sanskrit language is in a few such as Hindi, Buddhism and Sikhism and therefore they can seem closely linked. The word 'spirit' is used lightly to allow the participant to connect with their own beliefs. There are many forms of practice in Yoga - Raja Yoga ('royal' or meditation, practices concerning the mind), Karma Yoga ('right action', considering outcomes and impact on others when making choices), Bhakti Yoga (practicing compassion and devotion - surrendering to the divine), and many more, but the one you will mostly be familiar with at Body Awakenings is Hatha Yoga - being the practice of postures, movement and breath work. Hatha Yoga is made whole, as a way of living rather than an exercise class, when studied with the Eight Limbs of Yoga, compiled in 400BC by Patanjali. Your Yoga teacher is tapping into many of these limbs during your practice - so it is not all just the poses ("asana" of which there are many - click here to research new or your favourites) you are more than likely to find your 'way of being' adjusts over a time as you continue practicing. There are many different styles of Hatha Yoga - Vinyasa (or our 'Yoga Flow'), Yogalates, Yin Yang, Yin, Iyengar, Ashtanga (or Power), Bikram, Kundalini, Hot Yoga, Jivamukti, and many more plus many more to come I am sure. For the classes held at Body Awakenings you can view the descriptions each of the teachers have given to their styles they are trained in - click here.

Yogalates is not as simple as being "a mix between Yoga and Pilates", almost, however a Yoga teacher with Pilates training would not teach a Yogalates class. Yogalates is trademarked and therefore only those trained in the Solomon Yogalates Method can teach these classes. It is a fusion of Yoga with Pilates uniquely developed, and ever evolving, by Louise Solomon in 2000. For the most part it is a blend of the well-known Iyengar (use of props) and Vinyasa (flow with breath) asana, aligned with the study of the Eight Limbs. Principles derived from Pilates are inserted into the dialogue, along with specific Yogalates mat work exercises, to provide a deep awareness of core activation, functional movement of the pelvis and spine to provide a safe practice in each of the Yoga asana. The student can take this body awareness into every day activities and postural alignment. The instruction for both core activation and natural nostril breathing provides a gentler and non-strenuous muscle contraction, keeping along the lines of a more Yogic practice. Yogalates trainers have yearly training updates where valuable information by researchers (international physiotherapists and yoga instructors) provides improvements to poses and mat work exercises, breath work, cues and instructions to provide a safe versatile practice to suit all bodies and abilities. Yogalates encourages the student to practice asana with true body awareness and alignment, understanding own limitations and self-adjustments required. There are many variations and modifications provided to the student supporting them developing their practice and self-awareness.

MINDFULNESS FOR IMPROVED SLEEP,BY FILI PERDIKARIS REGISTERED PSYCHOLOGISTA few thoughts and reflections on one of those often frustrating phenomenon sleep. Sleep is obviously a natural bodily function that for the most part happens relatively easily when all is well. However, when we are feeling anxious, pre-occupied with something or experiencing change, sleep may become affected. It can be tiring and frustrating when we experience sleep difficulties, as our bodies and minds need the rest that occurs at night to function effectively during the day. Using mindfulness can aid us to be more present in the moment and manage worrying thoughts or stress so that we are more likely to achieve a good nights rest. Here are a few suggestions based on mindfulness strategies and acceptance and commitment (ACT) principles, which may facilitate a better night’s sleep.

Bring your awareness to your breathing with slow even breaths, counting to 4 as you breath in and 4 as your breath out. This may sound like a very simple technique but if used often and repeatedly can be very powerful in managing anxiety. Focus on the movement of your chest as it goes up and down to the rhythm of your breathing. Notice the pause at the end of each breath. This conscious awareness of incoming and outgoing breath helps to slow down breathing and induce the relaxation response. It is harder to get caught up in our thought processes when we are focused on breathing.

This mindfulness exercise can be extended to include naming a few things that we can feel right at this moment when trying to sleep i.e. the cool sheet on my face, the slight humming of background noise, the comfortable pillow on my head, the sensation of the mattress beneath me. In this way we become grounded in the present moment and away from thoughts that keep us awake.

Taking the pressure off needing to sleep can also be helpful. Paradoxically, the more we try to fall asleep and become anxious about the clock ticking and how much sleep we are not getting, the more we raise our anxiety levels and sleep deludes us. If we can tell ourselves that it doesn’t really matter what time we fall asleep or whether we fall asleep at all that night i.e. ‘this may just be a night where sleep doesn’t come, that’s ok, I can just rest here’. Moving into acceptance in this way rather than fighting sleep, increases the chances that we will fall asleep eventually or be in a more restful state for the night.

Focusing our awareness on our bodies and grounding ourselves in the present moment is a mindful way to manage negative thinking or a ‘racing mind’. Scanning the various parts of our body, from toes and right up to our head gives our minds something to do that takes it away from the tendency to worry or get caught up in thinking.

WHAT IS YIN YOGA, BY RACHAEL STORRIE 23 February 2014 Yin yoga integrates the many traditional postures of yoga with the Eastern approach to health and healing of the body and mind. This practice blends work with breath, mindfulness meditation, asanas (postures) in a way that stimulates flow along the meridian lines to nourish organs, joints and energy systems of the body on a physical, mental and emotional level. It is important to work into the muscular half of our body often referred to as the “yang” tissues. It is of equal benefit to work into the deeper tissues, our ligaments, joints, bones and fascial networks, the “yin” half of the body in order to work towards balance and experience wholeness and health. Yin tissue is less fluid and elastic than the yang tissues and this influences the way the postures are approached and held. Movement into the yin postures should be slow and supported, allowing the tissue an opportunity to respond, then settling into the shape finding your appropriate edge within your range of mobility. Moving into the shapes that you create with your body you must be willing to feel your way into the posture and respond to the sensations your body is presenting with. Not every posture suits every person and there may be an alternative posture that suits your body. Part of the yin practice is to recognize, respect and understand that there are differences in individual skeleton and not push beyond your healthy limit and range of motion. In practicing a healthy approach to your body you must first pay attention to your limitations, previous or current injuries to cultivate a more “yin” style of internal environment, enabling a flow of chi. Chi can be best understood in English as “energy” which is constantly moving throughout the body. It is believed that the chi can be stimulated to move more efficiently, unhinge stagnation and blockages through effective approaches to breath, shape and mindfulness. Once you have moved into the posture and found your appropriate edge it is time to come into final stillness, which will allow the muscle groups “yang” to soften and target the “yin” tissue with gentle compression and stress to the area you are working with. At this point I would like to explain that by stressing the tissue gently and safely over time the ligaments become longer, thicker and stronger. The aim is to maintain your own natural range of motion and keep it at optimum health. Observing the difference between yin and yang can be best understood by considering yang as rhythmic movement with muscle engagement that strengthens and lengthens the muscle and benefits the body. “Yang” can be referred to as male, rapid, active, fire, energy, sun, bright, male, upward according to eastern Chinese medicine theory. Yin is observed as passive, solid, slow, moon, dark, female, downward and in relative terms the two do not exist without the other. As yin is a slower, still practice there is an opportunity to create space in the body physically, emotionally and mentally. If the body is still but the mind is not, then the flow of “chi” can be inhibited. It is difficult to release stagnation in the body whilst still holding on to tension internally. Mindfulness can help transform both the physical and mental with often very clear experience of release. Mindfulness is a type of meditation but differs in that the goal is not to transcend the body, it is to stay with the body observing the moment not shifting to the past or the future but immersing in the present. Learning to train the mind to be mindful takes time and patience as you develop the practice you will navigate your way to knowing how to arrive in a space of self-awareness, stillness and peace. Yin is a style of yoga that suits anyone at any level from beginners to advanced with many opportunities to support your practice individually by the use of hard and soft props, such as, bolsters, blankets and blocks. Train the mind, tame the mind, free the mind ~ Buddha

Men @ Yoga, by Lana Clementson

Too many times have I suggested to a sore/tight/stressed male friend that he come along to a yoga class only to be greeted with the same look I’d expect if I’d just suggested we treat ourselves to a mani-pedi. As a teacher and an avid student I have looked around many a class room and I have to admit, it has become predominantly a woman’s domain, despite the fact that in its beginnings thousands of years ago, yoga was mainly taught and studied by men. Nowadays there’s a yoga studio on every corner and the practitioners around you are walking, talking testimonies. Elite sportsman are incorporating yoga into their training and attributing the practice to their recent improvement in core stability/mobility/mental focus/performance. Talk to anyone you know who has been at it for a while, and they’ll launch into such a passionate declaration of love you’ll be checking your watch and faking a forgotten appointment in no time. Surely at least once or twice you must have asked yourself “Don’t I want to feel that good?” Men are often naturally tighter than women, and they tend to internalise stress more than their chatty female counterparts. The typical man’s pursuits and lifestyle - from sitting at a desk all day to heavy lifting, from swinging golf clubs to throwing their bodies around in the surf or on a sports field - could all benefit from the counter practice of lengthening, releasing, and building strength from the inside out. Men have the world to gain by practicing yoga, so why is it so many are still reluctant to give it a go? Well, it’s intimidating.I admit it. Walking into a room decorated in lotus flowers, laying out your mat next to limber, pensive looking women, or chanting OM when you have no idea why you’re doing that, is probably as appealing to you as towel-flicking in a locker room full of sweaty men is to me…..although…..no, no, I get it. You feel uncomfortable, like you don’t belong and everyone knows it. Yoga takes a brave man. Then again, isn’t that what the most macho of men are? Maybe more men would be willing to try yoga if they perceived it as yet another test. You probably won’t be the most flexible person in the room but why not see that as a challenge? Can you overcome the competitive side of your nature and step out of your comfort zone into something new? Can you improve on your weaknesses instead of only playing to your strengths? Asana (the physical part of yoga) is a well-rounded series of movements and it’s designed to expose weakness. This can be confronting but the experience of balancing yourself over time, the improvement in comfort, sleep, strength and mobility is well worth the moment of discomfort when you first step into foreign territory. That said, if you need to feel as though you are ‘good’ at something to stay motivated, find an instructor who teaches a ‘strong’ class. Planking, arm balances and inversions all present a challenge that require strong upper bodies, core and abdominals, areas where men are often naturally stronger than women. You’ll be top of the class in no time. (Just don’t be surprised if no one else realised it was a competition).You haven’t found the right teacher.This one isn’t exclusively for men. I was practicing yoga for about 10 years before I found a teacher I was enthusiastic about returning to. Yoga is an involved, complex concept, rooted in ancient history. There are many interpretations floating around today and instructors and schools around the place are focusing on different aspects. Try a few different classes out, learn some terminology and basic principles and discover what is more relevant to you at this point in time. Do you have a busy mind and need to learn some skills to relax? Are your muscles short and tight from lifting weights and you need long, gentle stretches? Is your back tweaking from years of physical labour and you need to strengthen your core and ease your pain? Would you prefer an active flowing series of movements that focus your mind whilst challenging your strength? Is the philosophy and spirituality interesting to you or would that turn you away faster than a Buddhist at a bullfight? There is a class and a teacher out there for everyone. Ask some questions and find the right one for you. Don’t let the first peace-loving pretzel you come across scare you off something that could quite possibly improve your life well into old age. You’re not flexible enough.Ok, this is without a doubt the most annoying thing any yoga teacher can ever hear. We don’t do yoga because we are bendy, we do yoga to BECOME bendy (and strong and comfortable and relaxed and content…..but that stuff comes later). Yoga is not a competition sport, you do not attend a yoga class to go further into a pose than the person next to you or learn to do the splits as a party trick (ok, I did that once but it was stupid, my hamstring didn’t recover for months). You practice yoga to improve on yourself. To feel better, ease discomfort in the body, become more limber, more peaceful, to look after yourself.Physical benefits.So why am I telling you all this? In all honesty it makes no difference to us girls if more guys start showing up to class or not - in fact if I knew for sure there would only be females there I could save myself the effort of down dogging in front of the mirror and checking the opacity of my leggings before I leave the house – but this is about looking after yourself and in my experience this is something more men should do. There is an outdated idea that it’s tougher to ‘suffer in silence’ or ‘grin and bear it’ when things are uncomfortable, and sadly the only person who suffers in this case is you. (Don’t get me wrong there are plenty of women out there being martyr’s too, maybe once you start to fall in love with yoga practice you can drag one along with you). Yoga will make you feel good, physically and mentally. You will become more mobile, stronger, healthier and happier. Imbalances will even themselves out, worries will seem less important, you’ll walk a little taller, sleep a little deeper, feel a little happier and have more energy for work, family and play. So why wouldn’t you practice yoga? (Also, let’s be honest, doing the splits on the dance floor IS an awesome party trick.)

It is the strangest thing that we spend most of our days striving to achieve more, be more and have more....and in the process of not slowing down we have less. We lose so much of ourselves - our focus, our energy, our connection with others and what is most important to us. For me it’s when I make time for myself and create the space to do nothing, then I am content and feel I have achieved the most in that day, appreciating everything I already do have in my life. Another bonus is that when an unexpected challenge arises I am able to manage the situation better. It may be sitting in the garden or by the beach for a few minutes, in this space I choose not to lose myself in the monkey mind of thoughts. Only to breathe in and out – simply being in that moment, not travelling off with thoughts of the past or the future. Somedays not so easy to do, others a little easier. It doesn’t have to be a long period of time to benefit and feel centred. Practices such as Yoga (as well as Tai Chi, Pilates, Aikido etc) can provide the space and instruction to be present. The word Yoga means ‘union’, the breath focus acts as the bridge between mind and body so we can assess what each pose ‘feels’ like, bringing the mind to the now so we can adjust, align and heal our body. We can even choose which thoughts to be with. Giving us insight into how am I ‘being’ today, am I pushing, forcing and straining – feeling over determined? Am I feeling lethargic, uninspired or fearful? The way we do anything, is the way we do everything. As we tap into this way of being we gain the choice to change it. Taking time out can bring clarity so we can adjust what we need to in our lives to create more of what we really want. I am yet to hear anyone walk out of a Yoga class and say “geez wish I never came to Yoga today!” Find what your ‘Yoga’ is, honour yourself by creating the space to simply be, even if it’s just for 2 minutes a day...or join us at our Bali Heart Retreat and indulge in 5 days of YOU!